The Zanpaku swords are the trademark weapons of the Shinigami. Capable of cutting spirit bodies, they are amongst the few weapons which can be used to combat Hollows. Each Shinigami carries a unique Zanpaku sword, and each Zanpaku sword is unique on more than one level: the swords are both reflections of a Shinigami's self and power, and sentient beings unto themselves. The sword's name is also the name of the living being that empowers the sword and lends its strength to the Shinigami who wields it. These beings can vary widely in appearance and have their own distinct personalities. They apparently dwell in their own "inner worlds," created within the spirits of the Shinigami who wield them.
Shinigami who are still in training--those who do not yet belong to any of the Thirteen Divisions--all wield generic Zanpaku swords called "Asauchi," or "Shallow Strike." Asauchi swords have no special powers, and it is not known whether or not there is a being or beings empowering them. This seems unlikely, given how all of these swords share the same name.
When a Shinigami graduates from the training academy, he gains his own unique weapon. The process by which this happens has not yet been shown. It seems reasonable to assume that Ichigo, who was trained independently and in an unusual manner, did not gain Zangetsu in a typical fashion. Then again, perhaps the process is similar for ordinary Shinigami--a test in combat that requires a prospective graduate to reach deep within and take hold of his or her own power in a way they never have before. At any rate, it is known that when a Shinigami obtains their own Zanpaku, they learn its name and become able to "activate" it. This activated ability is called the "Shikai," the first of two levels of activation. When a Zanpaku sword is changed into its Shikai form, what is actually being seen is the true form of the weapon.
Originally, I was under the impression that Zanpaku swords were "one sword, one power" sorts of things--that is to say, that activated form = the sword's ability and that was that. It's increasingly clear that this isn't actually the case. Rather, it seems that Zanpaku swords can have multiple abilities at either the Shikai or Bankai levels of activation. Given that Zanpaku swords are living things, my guess would be that they can be trained to develop new techniques much like a person.
Wielding a Zanpaku sword effectively is more than just a matter of swordsmanship. Since the swords themselves are alive, a Shinigami must obtain his or her sword's cooperation to truly maximize its performance. This can be done in a variety of ways, though it seems that the orthodox approach involves subjugating the sword; the Shinigami belonging to the Thirteen Divisions keep their swords sealed into the forms of ordinary katana and have strict rules about when and where they are allowed to release their true forms. Keeping a sword in its unsealed form all the time seems to be considered gauche, a sign of carelessness or inexperience. The Shinigami also use certain phrases when they activate their swords, which appear to be necessary to release the seals keeping the swords' powers bound. These are always phrased as commands, further emphasizing the "subjugation" aspect of Zanpaku control. Most swords have at least one, though some Shinigami use more than one to command their weapons. Shinigami who have honed their Zanpaku skills to the point of being able to use the Bankai forms of their weapons no longer need to use the phrases and can instead command their swords by force of will alone.
Another major exception to just about all of the aforementioned rules, 11th Division Captain Zaraki Kenpachi, somehow failed to learn his sword's name. He ignored its living embodiment and preferred to use it simply as a tool, relying only on his own power. He never developed the control to seal his power, and thus also breaks the rule/tradition of keeping a Zanpaku sword in a sealed form--his sword is always in its true form. Zaraki's immense personal strength not only made it possible for him to buck these rules, but also to rise to the rank of Captain. However, his neglect wasn't exactly good for the weapon, causing immense pain to its embodiment and damage to the sword itself. (It's also worth noting that, as shown in the flashback chapter "All About This Crumbling World," he had his sword before becoming a Shinigami.)
Most Shinigami, however, must truly master their Zanpaku swords--bend them fully to their wills--in order to reach Captain level. A Shinigami who attains this level can use the second level of activation, the Bankai. Bankai activation allows the sword's embodiment to manifest in the real world and fight directly. A Zanpaku in Bankai form is much, much more powerful and dangerous than it is in Shikai form.
One odd little thing about the workings of the Zanpaku swords that has yet to be explained is the matter of the ownership of Rukia's sword. When she imbued Ichigo with her Shinigami power, it appeared as though her sword was given to him as well, but he was unaware of its ability or name (or that Zanpaku swords even had names) and its embodiment never appeared to him. Furthermore, Rukia's sword was later destroyed during Ichigo's training, and its remains were reshaped into Ichigo's sword Zangetsu. Is it gone forever? Or will it return to Rukia when (if) she regains her Shinigami powers? If it doesn't return, is it possible for a Shinigami to obtain a new Zanpaku?
Of course, it's entirely possible that Kubotite wasn't thinking ahead about the nature of the Zanpaku swords and simply failed to leave room to account for the ideas he eventually came up with--in short, continuity error ahoy! Still, I hope this isn't the case. A counterargument to this might be the case of Tousen Kaname, Captain of the 9th Division, who also received his sword from another person--his unnamed female friend who became a Shinigami and died at the hands of her Shinigami husband. Suzumushi, the sword Tousen carries, was originally hers. Given that Tousen is a Captain and in full command of Suzumushi's powers, it does seem that a Zanpaku can be fully transferred over to another.
My Blog List
Senin, 31 Agustus 2009
Langganan:
Posting Komentar (Atom)
Category
- Hollow ichigo (1)
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar